THE KID
January 14th 2007 11:03
My wife has been looking after a 9 year old for some weeks now. I think this is sort of neat as when she applied for the job, the Little One wasn't sure about how it would turn out. My wife said, ‘Let's give it a try for a week and if it works fine. If not, we can go our own separate ways with no hurt feelings on either side.' Well, it seems to have worked out.
This little girl is the product of a divorced mother who loves her to death but needs help when it comes to looking after her. The girl's grandmother used to look after her, but that meant getting her up at 6 AM each morning and delivering her to grandma's so that Mom could go to work. Now, she can sleep in until 8 AM before having to be roused to get ready for school. It's a win situation for her and a win situation for my wife.
The Little One recently came down with a touch of the flu. It meant we were saddled with her all day for the whole week. My wife has the patience of Job and did all she could to make her comfortable. I can only stand so much. My wife and I are past our child rearing days and this little intrusion gets to me once in a while.
I try to stay out of the whole mess, thinking my wife got herself into it, she can get herself out. As many times (twice I believe) as I've taken the Little One to task, I received a great compliment the other day. Let me say that when she is at home, she lives under one set of rules. When she is in our house, those rules change. Thankfully her Mother recognizes this and has told her that when in our place, she does what we say. This is hard for a 9 year old to understand. They think they are the centre of the universe, trying to be an adult while still being a child. All of us have tried it and where did it get us?
Anyway, she came to me the other day asking for new batteries for her Game Boy. I gave them to her and we got talking. She said she missed being hugged by a man. All sorts of thoughts ran through my head, but I got over it and hugged her. How do you deny a child?
She told me of the trouble her Mom had had with her husband and a later boyfriend. It broke my heart. I suppose I have become the father figure in this little girl's world. Not that that's a bad thing.
I have explained to her that in this (my) world, she's not the centre of the universe. I go out to make the almighty dollar and let my wife spend it. (Which she does admirably and with caution I must add) The Little One places third Injun on this totem pole and I think she is getting used to that fact. I can't, won't and don't, blame her Mom for being a single Mom doing her best. The love this little girl is being shown is obvious. And now she has me in her clutches. And you know what? I don't mind at all.
Every day spent with her teaches me something new and I think she learns something in the process. It's your basic win-win situation. It just doesn't get any better than that
This little girl is the product of a divorced mother who loves her to death but needs help when it comes to looking after her. The girl's grandmother used to look after her, but that meant getting her up at 6 AM each morning and delivering her to grandma's so that Mom could go to work. Now, she can sleep in until 8 AM before having to be roused to get ready for school. It's a win situation for her and a win situation for my wife.
I try to stay out of the whole mess, thinking my wife got herself into it, she can get herself out. As many times (twice I believe) as I've taken the Little One to task, I received a great compliment the other day. Let me say that when she is at home, she lives under one set of rules. When she is in our house, those rules change. Thankfully her Mother recognizes this and has told her that when in our place, she does what we say. This is hard for a 9 year old to understand. They think they are the centre of the universe, trying to be an adult while still being a child. All of us have tried it and where did it get us?
Anyway, she came to me the other day asking for new batteries for her Game Boy. I gave them to her and we got talking. She said she missed being hugged by a man. All sorts of thoughts ran through my head, but I got over it and hugged her. How do you deny a child?
I have explained to her that in this (my) world, she's not the centre of the universe. I go out to make the almighty dollar and let my wife spend it. (Which she does admirably and with caution I must add) The Little One places third Injun on this totem pole and I think she is getting used to that fact. I can't, won't and don't, blame her Mom for being a single Mom doing her best. The love this little girl is being shown is obvious. And now she has me in her clutches. And you know what? I don't mind at all.
Every day spent with her teaches me something new and I think she learns something in the process. It's your basic win-win situation. It just doesn't get any better than that
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Comment by S.L. Bradish